Image Processing Apparatus for Wide Dynamic Range and Moving Object Strangeness Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing techniques struggle to achieve a wide dynamic range while reducing strangeness caused by moving objects, as existing methods either increase noise or fail to adequately eliminate unnatural image characteristics.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that acquires and combines images amplified with different gains during varying exposure operations, determining the presence of moving objects and selecting appropriate images for combination based on positional deviations and luminance levels to minimize strangeness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If time-division exposure with different exposure amounts is used to achieve wide dynamic range, then dynamic range is improved, but strangeness is generated due to moving objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image data into multiple groups based on exposure amounts, and further segments each group into regions with and without moving objects. This allows selective processing where images without moving objects are used for HDR combination to maintain dynamic range, while images with moving objects are handled separately to avoid strangeness artifacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing strategies to different regions of the image. Regions without moving objects undergo HDR combination for wide dynamic range, while regions with moving objects use alternative processing to eliminate strangeness. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region according to its characteristics.
2Illumination intensity
If capacitor charge capacity is increased to achieve wide dynamic range equivalent to time-division exposure, then dynamic range is improved, but noise is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of capacitor charge capacity to a moderate level, avoiding both excessive capacity (which increases noise) and insufficient capacity (which limits dynamic range). Combined with selective image grouping and moving object detection, this parameter optimization achieves wide dynamic range while controlling noise levels.
3Illumination intensity
If images are combined using conventional HDR combination, then wide dynamic range is achieved, but position matching is required which complicates the process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic selection of images based on moving object detection. Instead of requiring rigid position matching for all images, the system dynamically identifies and excludes images containing moving objects from the HDR combination process. This reduces the complexity of position matching by selectively processing only suitable images.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus that is capable of ensuring a wide dynamic range while reducing strangeness generated due to a moving body. The image processing apparatus acquires a plurality of images amplified with different gains, respectively, for each of exposure operations with different exposure amounts, determines whether or not there is a moving body having moved between images acquired for each of exposure operations with different exposure amounts, and selects images to be used for image combination out of the plurality of acquired images, based on a result of the determination.